Layel, the dalish and the strange gentlemen of Thedas
by ladyofthedales
Summary: Female Lavellan/Loghain Mac Tir, Female Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford, Female Lavellan/OC
1. Chapter 1

As usual in the late afternoon, the three advisors were gathers around the war table, discussing the daily changes in different parts of Thedas but mostly seeking ways to gather more gold and allies for the Inquisition.

In the middle of the boring conversations about mad kings and sneaky nobles Leliana looked at Josephine and said;

"Tell me, Josie, did Lavellan ask you about Warden Loghain?"

"In fact, she did, three days ago," The antivan put aside her notes and looked at the Spymaster, "I feared that the Inquisitor was suspicious about him, which would be totally understandable, given the man's past, but I think it was simple curiosity after all," Josephine explained.

"Oh, Josie, you are so clueless sometimes." Leliana sighed. "And the Inquisitor is so indiscreet, all the times…she already asked half the people in skyhold about him,"

"You mean that…" Josephine's eyebrows raised and Leliana's smirk along with a little nod made her gasp and put a hand in front of her mouth after shouting a half shocked half amused "Non!"

The Commander who was silently watching the exchange between the two women finally spoke,

"This is ridiculous," His voice exposing his growing irritation. "We have no time for such loitering, Thedas is on the verge of destruction,"

"well, the Inquisitor found the time to describe to Loghain the beauty of the full moon and the sand dunes in the Hissing Wastes," Leliana casually said. Josephine couldn't repress her laughter nor could the commander his glare.

"I never suspected how patient and courteous Loghain was until I saw him listening to Layel's very awkward tentative of seduction with a serene and calm expression,"

Watching the dalish huntress with her heavy dalish accent and clumsy manners was close enough to the spectacle of a one-armed person trying to juggle…Leliana had felt embarrassed for her.

"You are exaggerating," Josephine glanced at the commander, "Inquisitor Lavellan is a little bit odd, but she had never shown any interest in anyone since we met her,"

"Well, she does now," Leliana spoke with confidence, a confidence that made Cullen burst.

"I doubt that an old warden who's constantly hearing some old god Archdemon singing inside his head would be interested in starting a love affair," Cullen's tone was more aggressive than sarcastic…Leliana smirked at the commander's lack of restraint when it came to this subject.

"I remember a conversation between Warden Aeducan and Loghain after the Teyrn submitted himself to the taint, he had said that he was a man who always takes chances when offered to him. He surely wouldn't waste this one when the rising leader of a powerful organization is courting him, no matter how awkward or unattractive he finds her,"

"Yes, it would be an asset for Ferelden and for his daughter the Queen who would see her position strengthened against any ambitious or unhappy noble houses," Josephine agreed.

Suddenly the man leaning on the war table straightened and said

"I guess, we have done enough work for today, I will be in my office," He withdrew with tightened fists and large steps, running away from this conversation.

"I think we have upset the commander," Josephine concluded with a sigh.

"Good, it will perhaps incite him to make his move and talk to Lavellan," Leliana said calmly, throwing the little figurines on the map.


	2. Chapter 2

After washing her hair and thoroughly scrubbing her skin with a rugged fabric, Layel sunk into her bath. The water was agreeably warm, perfumed with rose water and sprinkled with some red and pink petals. She inhaled through her nose and closed her eyes. She wasn't the type to make such efforts, she didn't even take baths regularly let alone perfumed ones…but now, she wanted to try, smell nice at least if she wasn't able to look beautiful. Layel Lavellan wasn't really ugly, she had dark sweet eyes and full round cheeks that made her seem lovely when she smiled, lovely but never truly beautiful.

All this brought back memories, the last time she was willing to make an effort to look more attractive was when she was trying to seduce one of her fellow hunters…Nothing would have helped her, neither the lips dyed in red nor the scented oil she purchased with half of her savings. and to understand why one should consider who she was more than how she looked...She was the orphan daughter of a woman who had married a man from another clan, although the union between different dalish clans' people was encouraged, some clans had such a bad reputation that inbreeding would be considered better than mating with them…and her father was one of those. he had abandoned her mother after she got pregnant and was unable to hunt and provide for him…her mother, had been bitter and sad till her last breath, leaving the nine years old Layel in her grandmother's care.

She had always been considered as lower than the other members of the clan, added to that her modest beauty and her average skills as a hunter, no dalish man would have seriously considered her. They looked for a woman who would give them the power of her parents' clans or to provide for them with her hard labor. at that point, she knew that none of her efforts would make the man she chose to fall for her … until the Keeper, probably judging her expendable, sent her to the conclave.

Lavellan took a deep breath and immersed completely into the water.

She couldn't help but think about him…Loghain Mac Tir, not only he possessed a strange charm and a great confidence but he was also so different from the power hungry young man surrounding her. Long ago He had gained everything, the power, and the gold, then he had lost everything and yet he still now, standing like a castle made of stones…if a man would fall for her for herself and not for the material things she would bring him, if such a man existed , it would be Loghain the old Warden.

When she couldn't hold her breath any longer, Layel emerged from the water, gasping and squeezing her eyes. The dalish was ready to lean back against the tub's marble side and enjoy the relaxing water when she heard someone coughing. She swiftly turned her head toward where the voice came and saw Loghain standing near the stairs that led to her chamber.

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. But she quickly put her arm around her chest to hide her breasts.

Her panic didn't seem to trouble his calm attitude as he said

"I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear it,"

Layel blinked. The man who barely spoke when she talked to him and seemed more annoyed than thrilled by her lame attempts to catch his attention, was inside her room, audaciously looking at her nakedness and making it seem like a casual thing.

"I…is there an emergency?" her question was serious…Skyhold must be in flames or something equally urgent for this to happen.

"May I come in?" he asked as if he wasn't already inside her room.

"Yes…yes, of course, but first…Can you…" she made a sign with her hand for him to turn "I need to get out of the…bath"

Her eyebrows rose at what she had interpreted as hesitation or maybe refusal when the man stood immobile for a few seconds then complied reluctantly and turned his back to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Layel stood up and stepped out of the bath tub. She quickly grabbed the towel near her wrapping it around her naked body, she was reaching for the second towel when Loghain's voice startled her

"Are you decent yet?" His voice was impatient and Layel could discern what sounded like a cold anger, a little irritation as if the room was his and she was the intruder. Even so, she felt pressured and guilty and said without thinking "yes…you can turn"

Loghain faced her. He stared at her from head to toe. Layel stayed immobile as the warden checked her with an unveiled scrutiny, only her rising and falling chest betrayed her nervousness in front of a face who let none of his thoughts come out. The cold drops falling from her shoulder-length hair and tracing their way to her back and chest broke the spell of his stare. Layel took the second towel and started drying her hair.

"Please take a seat," she waved toward the two living chairs next to the fireplace. Her voice was sweet and comfortable and the little smile on her lips seemed to please him and hopefully didn't expose any of her inner nervousness.

Layel went to the armoire next to her bed and took a dressing gown, the most luxurious one made of white silk and trimmed with lace. She put it on facing away from the man sitting next to the fire, then she let the towel slip to the floor as she tied the waistband tightly around her waist…she was completely naked under the gown, this would have been a good attempt at seducing him but she feared that it would send the wrong message.

"Is there something I can do for you, warden?" Layel accompanied her inquiry with a smile, he should not feel like he was bothering her.

"I should be the one asking this question, Inquisitor," the man's voice was calmly seductive, looking the elven young woman in the eyes.

Layel crossed her legs immediately, the timbre of his voice was meant to make her feel strange in some intimate parts when the things his discourse was suggesting did confuse her and unleashed her imagination.

"I…" Layel shook her head slightly. In front of her confusion, Loghain barely hid his amusement.

"This morning you said that you had an important question to ask, unfortunately, I had some urgent matters to attend to, so you suggested that we talk before supper," Loghain explained "I have been informed that the Inquisitor took her supper in her room, and rarely leave it after…So, what is the important question?"

Layel swallowed with difficulty and pursed her lips…she had not a damn idea about what made up inquiry she was going to come up with just to speak with him and hear his voice…she had to invent one right now, right here.

"It's about warden-commander Clarel," Layel finally said.

"What about her?" Loghain's face hardened at the mentioning of the woman's name. Layel concluded that the woman didn't leave him a good memory.

"I was wondering, how she is like," Layel said and it was Loghain's turn to feel confused.

"She is an Orlesian warden-commander," he simply said

"No... I meant, physically," Layel was inventing as she spoke and this last line was far from smart.

"She looks like a woman, or do you need her measurements?" Loghain sarcastically asked.

"Do you know her measurements?" Layel laughed awkwardly trying to take his attention away from her uninspired first question. But she found herself to be the only one laughing at her own joke. Loghain narrowed his eyes looking at the dalish Inquisitor who cleared her throat and opened her mouth to say something.

Layel instinctively raised from her chair when Loghain stood up without a word.

"Are you leaving already?" she sounded plaintive and demanding and the man froze on the spot. She continued "I…I will ask the servants to bring the supper here and we can dine together…if you…"

Awkward, odd, bizarre…this was how she constantly felt since she met him, like she was again this adolescent trying to make herself desirable for an uninterested crush. A clumsy rogue was the most pathetic thing that could exist.

Loghain turned around and she discovered a smirk on his face,

"You are really something Inquisitor," it was sarcastic… He took another step toward her "I am finally in your chamber, and you find nothing better than Clarel and supper to talk about?" His voice was soft and feignedly disappointed and despite the smirk that didn't leave his lips, Layel could glimpse at the desire in his eyes. she couldn't decide if it was the luckiest day of her life when the man she was coveting came to her room without an invitation just after she had scrubbed her skin and bathed with water rose or was it the worst day as he seemed more interested in laying with her for one time and leaving as soon as he could.

Loghain stopped when only a few inches were separating them, his neck was craned low and she could feel his hot breath grazing her cheek but she wouldn't find the courage to stretch her own neck and meet his gaze not until he put one of his arms around her waist as his other hand delved inside her thick, wet locks and tugged gently at them forcing her to look up.

"Not like this," she muttered with a breathy voice at the man who obviously was only waiting for her to voice her consent to throw her on the bed and have his way with her…at this thought, her loins yearned for such a conclusion.

"Like what, then," his husky voice was but a murmur.

"I want more," she was in the incapacity to formulate a more detailed explanation, hoping that a smart man like Loghain would catch the meaning.

"What a young dalish Inquisitor wants from an old disgraced warden?" he chuckled, tugging playfully, or menacingly, at the waistband that kept her gown in place and eyeing by the same occasion her visibly erect nipples . It was not a question, it was a confession, exposing not only his cynical point of view but also his loneliness and self-loathing, or that was how she interpreted this sentence.

"To give him a reason to live," Layel's face was more tender than lustful and it did destabilize the man in front of her, his expression was surprised, almost choked and obviously displeased.

The knocks on the door came in time to break their embrace. Loghain released her and turned to leave quickly… "I leave you to it, Inquisitor," he said with his usual composure and ran from her without looking back.

The servant who brought Layel's dinner didn't hide her surprise when Loghain opened the door for her she stayed immobile on the spot watching the old warden leave hurriedly until the Inquisitor's called her, the second surprise was for her to find the young elf wearing nothing but a thin dressing gown who left nothing to the imagination…the girls in the kitchen would never believe her but she was going to tell them, anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

It didn't take her long before she started regretting her stubbornness…she certainly wanted more than a sordid carnal affair but she could have at least gave him what he wanted, what they both wanted…now it wouldn't be surprising if he never spoke to her again…the Inquisitor sighed. Then she remembered her foolish argument 'giving him a reason to live', he surely wasn't in need for such a thing, his will to survive against all odds was stronger than any other man…Layel growled, cursing her own stupidity and smacking her forehead with her this precise moment, a guard called for her with a hesitating voice "your worship, a man claiming to be an Orlesian Lord asks to meet you personally," Layel rubbed her eyes with her fingers and whispered "back to work,"

"Lead me to him,"

"He is at the gates and refuses to enter until he meets the Herald of Andraste,"

At the gates was standing a fully armed and armored man, escorted by two less well-equipped guards. As soon as she stood in front of the man, he put a knee on the ground and lowered his head

"it is an honor to meet you Herald of Andraste."

Layel was always troubled by this title but she just smiled and encouraged the man to stand up giving him a helpful hand.

"I bid you welcome, stranger," Layel said.

"Forgive me your worship, I lost my manners…I am Clovis de Roussac the son of count Fabrice de Roussac" the man said taking off his helmet and revealing his face. He was not as old as his deep voice suggested. His hair was longer and silkier than the Inquisitor's and had a rich dark brown color that made his skin look paler, bushy dark eyebrows and big black eyes embellished by long eyelashes gave him a sweet almost feminine look when his rather big nose, his hollow cheeks, and square jaws let no place to confusion regarding his masculinity.

"How can the Inquisition help you?"

"I left the carriage carrying my father behind and rushed here to meet you Helard…I, unfortunately, had no time to contact Ambassador Montilyet and take a rendez-vous…My father is very sick, my lady and his last wish is to confess to the Herald of Andraste and take her blessing," the man explained.

Well, it was not unusual, many came here to receive the blessing of the Herald but it was the first time that a dying man asked her to hear his confession.

"Bring your father here, I will gladly fulfill his wish," Layel said with a smile and saw the man's face lit up as he said "Thank you, my lady," bowing his head slightly and rushing outside with his men.

Layel sighed, she already regretted her decision thinking about how many sins a rich powerful man had to confess, she would be stuck with him for hours. But she was only a woman who couldn't say no to a desperate handsome man in need.


	5. Chapter 5

The old Count reasoned in her head as she walked through Skyhold's halls

'I have led the life of a good Andreastean as much as I was able to…but a man cannot act against his own nature."

Layel had listened to him patiently, doing her best to be as understanding and kind as possible even though she didn't comprehend what the man was talking about or what great crime was making him so unrestful on his death bed.

Her legs led her to the spymaster's office. Leliana was reading some of the reports she was receiving daily from the spies she had scattered over all Thedas.

"Am I bothering you?" Layel said after taking a seat in front of the woman's desk.

"You don't seem very concerned about it, even if my answer was positive," the red haired woman was amused.

"Leliana, do you know Count Fabrice de Roussac and his son?" Layel didn't want to lose precious time.

"Well, nobody really knows anything pertinent about this clan, the de Roussacs do not play the Orlesian game, nor get involved in politics, they are discreet, some would say secretive, guardians of the north-western borders, good warriors…I can't say more, and I wouldn't recommend starting to dig information about them as it would be a waste of time," Leliana's tone seemed decisive.

"He came to die here, this Count de Roussac, and his son is here as well, he also expressed his desire to join the Inquisition after his father's funerals."

"This is a good thing, they are reputed to be mighty warriors and as I said, they do not interfere in politics," Leliana seemed too disinterested this particular subject…Layel should trust her yet she could feel that something was amiss with this old man.

"Then I guess I will leave you to it," Layel smiled and rose from her chair.

"Inquisitor Lavellan," Leliana called the elven woman who was preparing to leave.

"Yes?"

"How much do you know about Loghain Mac Tir?" the question was not really a question, it was a disguised taunt.

"I…" Layel frowned at first then she remembered the servant who saw Loghain leaving her room and her wearing nothing but a see-through dressing gown.

"There is nothing between us if this is your question…not yet," she added with a smirk. They can force a woman to fight for them, give her a fancy title and hide behind her, but to dictate to her heart, this she could not allow.

Leliana nodded, her cold glare scrutinizing the young woman.

"Warden Aeducan was a brave warrior and a shrewd man, but do you know why he recruited his arch enemy, Loghain?"

"No, but you are going to tell me, right?" Layel felt like a cheeky adolescent, so she immediately wiped the smirk from her face and took a less defiant posture.

"They shared an important common value, which is…" Leliana took a step closer to the young elf, towering over the short dalish she immediately rose her head higher to keep the eye contact… and she whispered,

"They do not value life, not theirs, but the lives of others…they are pawns and inferior beings for them, thus the only form of life worthy in their eyes is themselves and their blood," Leliana calmly said.

"Yet you followed this warden," Layel muttered.

"I didn't have the luxury of choice back then, but you do," Leliana's voice was low and certain. Suggesting to the young woman without making it look like an order.

Layel broke the eye contact and said: "I…It is only some flirting and an admiration for a famous figure of Thedas history."

"I hope so," Leliana walked back to her desk, before adding "And I thought you might be interested in my opinion after seeing Loghain,"

"Well, yes of course," Layel feigned a smile.

"He is different from the man who used to share the camp with us ten years ago, and not in a good way," the red haired stated.

"what…what do you mean?" Layel's curiosity was picked.

"I don't want to frighten you, Layel but this man even though I am certain he is indeed Loghain Mac Tir, seems younger, stronger and…"

"And what?" Layel asked.

"He is too interested in you Inquisitor…It might sound derogative or strange, but the man I knew would have ignored your lame tentative of seductions…"

"Oh…" Layel crossed her arms over her chest, it was not the first time someone would belittle her concerning this topic. Maybe this one didn't bear the thought of a national legend like Loghain ending with a dalish nomadic elf… But Leliana's face was too frowning and thoughtful as she added "his eyes also, you may not believe me but I would have sworn that they were not as bright and vividly blue,"

Layel's eyebrows raised, if youth and strength could be explained by the famous warden's "stamina" what could possibly cause one's eyes color to change?

Leliana's words hadn't convinced her, but the expression on the spymaster's face had successfully scared the crap out of her.


	6. Chapter 6

After the death of Count de Roussac, his obsequies were held at Skyhold with the blessing of the Herald according to his final wishes.

Clovis reiterated his desire to join the Inquisition and in spite of Layel's instincts telling her to refuse, she found herself putting a gentle hand on the young man's shoulder and saying "the Inquisition would be lucky to have you."

"I will do my best to serve under your command, your Worship," he said solemnly bowing his head. Layel looked at his silky dark locks falling at the sides of his handsome face.

"But, Lord de Roussac, don't you prefer to go back to your lands and take care of them?" she ignored why a part of her wanted him out of Skyhold.

"My lady, I am my father's youngest son, my brothers are doing a good job at taking the succession…I shall pledge my sword to serve the Herald as he had wished," the young man looked Layel at the eyes, a strong gaze and a sincerity that reassured the Inquisitor.

"Is it your wish too, or are you just being an obedient son?" her soft voice seemed concerned…she couldn't tell if it came from the deep sympathy she had for the man or was it an umpteenth tentative to push him away.

"After seeing you, it became also my wish to join your forces," he said with a low tone gazing directly at the Inquisitor's face, her face who suddenly became redder as she cleared her throat and rearranged her hair in a nervous gesture.

"I shall inform the commander of this…have a nice day," she muttered and rushed toward the commander's office as if running away from the other man's intense stare.

Layel stood before the closed door of the commander's office, she knocked two times but nobody answered…why was the door closed in the first place? It was usually opened and the commander standing behind his desk…

After a while, a female guard opened the door and went out hurriedly, her head lowered and her face flushed, she had muttered "your worship," and left without looking behind. Layel stood there looking at the woman rushing far from the office, almost staggering…was she doing something with the commander? Nah, Layel shed away this thought, the man was so nervous around her this one time she had smiled to him, and around any other woman who was trying to hit on him…he would never…

"Are you coming in or what?" Cullen's voice woke her up from her thoughts and she finally looked at him standing in the middle of the office, smirking, like he was making fun of her shocked expression.

"Commander, I came to inform you that we have a new member who joined the Inquisition," she said stepping inside the room.

"Oh, you need not to come personally to tell me this," he was half annoyed half mocking.

"This one is important, a member of an Orlesian powerful family," his attitude started to irritate her.

"I see," he shrugged and took some steps closer to her. Was he trying to intimidate her by standing so close? Layel lifted one brow looking at the commander smirk.

"I must confess Inquisitor," his voice was low and seductive, "I have always wanted to know you,"

Know her? She wasn't sure what meaning of this expression he was referring to.

"Ask me any question about my life, and I will answer you," she kept her calm and a neutral expression.

"Is that so?" he softly chuckled, looking shamelessly at her breasts then lifting his gaze to say "I have always wondered what kind of men you were interested in, but now after what the servants are telling about you and Loghain, I can see it,"

"I beg your pardon?" she felt the anger rising inside her…he was treating her like this because he thought that she was Loghain's lover…and what if she was truly sleeping with Loghain, did it give him the right to eye her body like she was a soldier's whore?

"I…I prefer to leave now, commander, but if you address me like this one more time…" she threatened raising a finger in the man's face and it made him more amused as he caught her hand and said "what will you do? You are not the one who decides when it comes to me, Leliana or Josephine, we are the ones who made you little dalish," he laughed at her face pulling her closer to him.

"What are…?" Layel was in shock as she tried to push him away but his strength was almost superhuman.

"Let go of my hand now and I will forget that we ever had this conversation," she said with a more calm tone, negotiating when she knew her strength wouldn't be of any help. And he released her.

"Easy Inquisitor, it was only a joke, you are too serious," the man's smile widened as he stepped away from her.

Layel calmed her ragged breath and said "you are right commander, one cannot be serious all the time,"

The blond man winked at her and said "come back anytime you want, Layel or invite me to your chambers, I will be more useful than an old man,"

Layel rushed out of the man's office yelling inside her head 'what the fuck!'

The man she knew would never act this way…why was he…and then it came to her mind…Cullen was fighting the Lyrium, he probably took another drug to make the withdrawal easier. She stopped and exhaled leaning against a wall, yes it was the only logical explanation, another drug that obviously took away his inhibitions and good manners and gave him this strength and lust…but what kind of drug was that?


	7. Chapter 7

The following days, Cullen wouldn't even look into her eyes whenever they gathered around the war table. He seemed back to his self yet more reserved and silent than usual…she wanted to take him aside and tell him that she understood what he was going through and that it was all right but her own fear and apprehension didn't allow it for the moment…It was better to forget about what happened as time would eventually arrange everything.

Loghain was standing alone in his favorite deserted spot on skyhold away from any coming and going.

"Hi!" she cheerfully said. They didn't speak after he came to her chamber and she had to make it clear to him that even if he refused her offer and her his, it didn't mean they had to become foes.

"Inquisitor," Loghain greeted her with his usual unmoved face.

"How are you? Is your sword itching for some action?" she only caught the dirty meaning of what she had said after Loghain raised one eyebrow and said with an amused tone "not really Inquisitor but if you are inviting me to have some I won't decline your offer,"

"I…I…" Layel's embarrassment indicated that she didn't mean to make that dirty joke…what a pity! He thought.

"I maybe have something to offer, do you want to come with us to the Winter Palace?" she was serious. Loghain blinked and stared at the dalish Inquisitor…didn't she know who he was?

"So being a dalish isn't difficult enough for you, so you want to take the man who once humiliated the Orlesian Empire with you?" he asked.

Layel giggled, he was good at this kind of humor. "I didn't think about it this way, but fuck them! I want you to be with me at the Winter Palace," she confessed.

Loghain slightly shook his head and laughed, did this woman know how to lie?

"Ask your spymaster and ambassador, if they are alright with it I will be glad to accompany you Layel," Loghain simply said.

Layel's smile widened, it was the first time he called her by her name and she absolutely liked it.


	8. Chapter 8

Lavellan had thought that convincing Leliana to include Loghain in the group going to Halamshiral would be the hardest thing about this mission…it was until she reached the Winter Palace.

She soon forgot about the nice journey that she spent flirting with Clovis and Loghain as both of them improvised themselves as history teachers to enlighten a foreign girl coming from the Free Marches about the history of the region. The two men surely didn't have the same perspective but they did well trying to remain as impartial as possible and so deliciously courteous…she had even been amazed how the Fereldan former general and the Orlesian young lord were getting along, she assumed that it was due to them being part of the same "cast"…the warrior's cast, but she was to learn sooner or later how mistaken she had been.

Gaspard did his best to ignore Loghain's presence after some heated glares the two men exchanged. But what happened inside was the true challenging events.

The man who was in charge of announcing the guests and their ranks and heroic deeds had 'forgot' to add Hero of River Dane to Loghain's long list of titles but the Orlesian lord's glares and their women's covetous stares said it all about the glorious battle he had won with few peasants against an imperial army.

Clovis, at Lavellan greatest surprise, had been given the cold shoulder too. Maybe it was because his family lived like hardened warriors on the cold mountains situated at a border region and never took part in the political game…but still, it was harsh to treat one of their lords like this.

Harassment…it was the word for what they all were subjected to inside the walls of the fancy palace and they were surely coping with it in different manners. Layel gritting her teeth, trying not to answer the repeated insults, Loghain stoic toward the dirty looks and the curious noble women brave enough to get closer to him, Clovis had more trouble repressing his anger when the most effeminate lords taunted him, mocking his family and finally, Cullen who looked so uncomfortable and desperate when some entitled orlesian men and women surrounded him, touching his body and invading his personal space…It's then when Layel's repressed anger threatened to explode…if she was not allowed to defend herself, she wouldn't sit by and watch them disrespect the commander the Inquisition!

"Where do you think you are going, Inquisitor?" Leliana said grabbing the dalish woman's arm.

"Breaking the hands of the ones that had been touching the Commander!" She answered spontaneously.

"You aren't" Leliana smiled.

"You will let them ridicule the Inquisition by treating the commander this way? And I thought he was your friend!

"This is good for us, they are under his charm and I see no harm in letting them have their fun. Leliana's eyes were cold as her words.

"something is telling me that if it was Josephine standing at the Commander's place now, you wouldn't be fine with them doing this to her" Layel glared to the woman "he is unstable enough without them toying with him like this, so please get out of my way," Layel warned.

"Fine Inquisitor, do as you wish," the spymaster capitulated and watched the short elf heading toward the commander, standing beside him and grabbing the wandering hand of a masked woman before twisting her wrist…soon the scared orlesian nobles fled away from the Commander, leaving the blond man alone with the dalish inquisitor.

"Are you alright?" she said without looking at him.

"…you shouldn't have intervened Lavellan," his tone was angry…Shocked by the unexpected reaction, Layel looked at the man's face and it was frowning, shame, discomfort, and anger were what she could detect…and in a heartbeat she understood how humiliating for a man to have a younger woman flying to his rescue.

"I am sorry," she had the time to blabber before Cullen walked away from her with precipitated steps.

For a young woman like Layel, every new situation was a lesson and today she had learned how difficult it was for men to defend themselves in such situations…a woman pushing a man with wandering hands would be considered heroic but for a man in the same situation he only would be mocked, belittled or reprimanded if ever he made a violent reaction….Layel glimpsed at Loghain on the opposite side of the staircases, he knew how to keep the women surrounding him far enough without saying a word, he was such an imposing man, they wouldn't even try to invade his personal space let alone touch him.

Josephine had done her best to teach the Inquisitor the basics of ballroom dancing but it was a tough job…Layel was glad that she didn't mastered the skill as she stepped repeatedly on the feet of Florianne de Chalon, the woman who literally forced her to dance. Soon enough she realized that the hairstyle was not the only fishy thing about the Duchesse and it was about time for the action to begin.

A couple hours later, Orlais had a new ruler, or two and the festivities continued as if no murders had taken place on the palace.

Layel went to the balcony seeking some fresh air when she heard his particularly exciting voice,

"You did well tonight, Inquisitor."

Layel smiled and turned to face the man standing just behind her,

"You truly think this?"

"I personally would have done the exact same thing," he said with a satisfied look on his face. Layel remembered something Leliana had said about Celene luring the young fereldan king and causing the vengeful spite of Loghain which had almost destroyed the whole country…Yes, she had no doubts that the man standing barely a few inches from her would have done exactly the same thing; letting the sly fox die, and putting a leach named Briala on the spirited new emperor.

"Enough talking about the dead!" he said taking a step back and bowing slightly "can I have this dance, Inquisitor Lavellan?"

Lavellan offered him her hand without thinking…she then had to stutter as he pulled her closer to him "I fear that your feet would suffer…I…I am new to this sort of…activities."

"Fear not, I have strong feet," he affirmed as he started leading the dance.

First, it was slow as they moved carefully. Lavellan's head memorizing the steps and not paying great attention to the sensations or music, but then, it got faster and she was forced to lift her head and look at the man holding her waist and left hand firmly…and the fun part began.

Hiding behind the curtains, someone was observing the scene…throw a hand mirror and they seemed bewitched by what the glass was reflecting.

After the breathtaking waltz, Loghain departed without a word, leaving her breathless and speechless…How can a man so much older than her remain fresh and steady after such exciting effort? …Well, those Grey Warden's special abilities were not a myth after all.

Once her room was checked and secured by Leliana's agents, Lavellan was finally able to rest her aching body for a while, until the next problem showed up, of course…and it didn't take long to appear.

Following the first rays of sunshine, Leliana was in Lavellan's chamber with a serious face and the young elf didn't even get breakfast yet.

"Inquisitor, there is a serious matter I want to inform you of," the redhead said.

"It couldn't wait until I eat something, spymaster?" The Inquisitor rubbed her eyes and sat on the bed.

"You should know this before even leaving your room or meeting anyone of our Orlesian hosts,"

Lavellan sighed and nodded.

"There is a pile of corpses in the Winter Palace."

"You don't say!" Layel giggled.

"They are not Venatory nor soldiers…They are corpses of Orlesian nobles who had nothing to do with what happened here last night,"

"All Orlesian nobles have something to do with what happened last night…it's the game!"Layel yawned, hoping the human woman would soon leave her to oversleep a little.

"I should give more details to paint you the picture. One of the Lords with whom Clovis had an altercation in the evening was found with his ribcage wide open, his heart is missing and his face lacerated by what seems to be animal claws," Leliana observed Lavellan's reaction.

"Fucking venatori are twisted, what can I say? One of them maybe summoned a bear to fight with and…and I don't really give a shit." Layel shrugged.

"Two Ladies where found drained of their blood…"

"Blood mages Venatori, you know? Using people blood and shit," Layel was surprised by her spymaster's lack of logic.

Leliana's cold glare rushed Layel to shut her mouth.

"And last, they also found the four people who were surrounding the Commander last evening and whom you have threatened, eviscerated and dismembered," Leliana informed.

"What? Are you accusing me?" Th dalish frowned.

"No, for the one who did it used their bare hands"

Layel relaxed after hearing this and laid back on her bed.

"You have nothing to say about this, Inquisitor?"

"Like what? Corypheus, Venatori, blood mages using red lyrium…well, nobody can accuse us of anything. Then it's not our problem."

"No, they can't," Lelian said and stepped closer. "But, Layel, you are the leader of the Inquisition and if we have among us people who can do those things, it will sooner or later become our problem." The older woman sat on Layel's bed and added "...for, the ones who did this, are no longer to be considered humans...they are creatures."


	9. Chapter 9

« Welcome to the Order, Teyrn Loghain, » The dwarf Warden had said to him with a big smirk and malice in his eyes. Loghain hadn't caught the true meaning of this until the Archdemon was slain and his newly relieved mind couldn't focus on anything else besides his carnal needs…He was not the man he once been and there was no going back. His appetites became those of a monster, a Darkspawn, cunts, and food filling his mind constantly and the hunger for them was a constant torture…something no mortal, not even one as strong-willed and cold as he were, was able to dismiss.

There had begun the story of his transformation, one fateful night where he entered the Orlesian brothel he used to visit more often than what he would like; the madam had received him with her usual smile, she friendly took his arm and led him past the whores who were eyeing him with lust

"We have something new for you tonight if you are willing, monsieur," the old woman whispered

Loghain stayed quiet…There were some of the Orlesian noble women who came, hidden behind their masks and dark capes to offer themselves to men they had been lusting over, under the roof of a brothel…but he had refused every offer of this kind.

"I am not interested, and you already know it," he said firmly to the blonde woman.

"Oh, my dear, do I know! But this one is different, I have never seen her before, in fact, she is not Orlesian, her accent is foreign, and so are her looks, she came from nowhere and she has been visiting every night, taking a room and waiting for you to come…You truly should take a look at her before refusing…she had already paid for the room, this visit will charge you nothing at all," the old pimp stated.

Loghain had refused so vehemently to become the amusement of an Orlesian noble who came to offer herself a new thrill by fucking the empire's greatest enemy and defeater…the Hero of River Dane.

After a moment of hesitation, Loghain said,

"Lead me to her,"

The pimp's smile was so wide that he was almost certain that the woman waiting for him had promised her more than a piece of gold if she succeeded to convince him…nevertheless he pushed the door of the fancy boudoir and found himself transported to another world.

The smell, the woman had been burning some kind of incense that he has never smelled before…it was bewitching.

When his eyes got accustomed to the room's faint light he saw her…on the big round shaped red bed, she was laying, wearing nothing but a necklace of red rubies and a black lace tissue covering half her face, from her eyes and below…only her eyes were visible…they were black…as he approached he could confirm that they were as black as her curly thick hair and the hair between her legs.

"I bid you welcome, hero of River Dane," the woman spoke with a thick accent, he couldn't identify.

His cock was doing more than twitching at this point, when under his stare, the woman laughed, her chest moving and making her heavy breasts giggle.

He, almost unwillingly, reached for one of her breasts as he sat on the bed, squeezing it harshly and extracting a guttural moan from her, before saying:

"Who are you?" his voice husky and expressing what his cock was feeling right now.

"I am a promise, my lord," she whispered near his ear and his hand went to the back of her neck grasping it roughly

"The promise of what?" he uttered breathlessly.

"The promise of eternity," she simply said.

At this point he didn't even care if her words made sense or not, he was going to dip his cock as deep as possible into her wetness and come on this piece of black lace that she covered her face with….and he did, he fucked her like a possessed man, like he had never fucked before, nor the coldness of her skin neither the animalistic hisses he was extracting from her, were sufficient reason to put him off or keep him from shooting a full load on her covered face.

He was grabbing the bed's headboard with a hand and his cock with the other, as he came, the last thing he was expecting was for her to pull slightly the dampened black fabric and took his thick, pulsating member into her mouth.

He groaned as she licked and sucked on his sensitive cock, cleaning him…until he felt something grazing his velvety skin…the bitch had fangs! He lowered his head to look at her with wide eyes and she took his cock out of her mouth and smiled at him revealing a pair of sharp long fangs…The next thing he knew, he was on his back, the woman sitting on his waist, pushing his chest with her hands and keeping him down on the mattress like he had no strength at all.

"Loghain Mac Tir, disgraced, shameful, twisted, dishonorable and yet strong, protective and so, so very delightful" the creature licked her lips eyeing him… "Nature, alas, doesn't give it all to one single man, but you seem to be one of her favorite children, and so...you shall never die" she whispered before sinking her teeth into his bared neck.

Beyond the pain of the bite, Loghain's head grew lighter, euphoria invaded his mind slowly and he could even see the funny side of this situation; him, the great warrior and the smart strategist who had so many enemies, finished by a naked woman in a brothel's room…but surely he wasn't going to give up without putting on a little fight, he thought as he took a fistful of her curly black hair and pulled with all his strength, trying to yank her head back. He heard her growling but she didn't remove her fangs from his neck until he was about to faint.

She pulled away from him with a jerk, hissing, and cursing in a foreign language. The little bit of strength he was left with allowed him only to move his eyes and stare at the creature, now glowing eyes as she wiped his blood from her mouth with a disgusted expression.

"Take no offense, my dear, but the Warden's blood tastes as awful as it's rumored to be," she explained before biting her own thumb and pushing it inside his slightly gaped mouth.

"Don't fight it, and drink," she whispered pushing her bleeding finger further into his mouth, the warm liquid pouring directly into his throat.

Finally, it was over…the woman stood up and walked to the night table, pouring herself a cup of wine before she collectedly sat on a luxurious chair, observing the naked man lying motionless on the bed.

Only his chest was rising and falling irregularly.

From her seat, she was able to admire his tall and robust frame…the dark hair on his chest, arms, legs, and on his lower belly…beyond it, there was his heavy cock, resting between his muscular thighs…The woman put her cup aside and walked toward him, she reached to caress his face but he jerked his head away as he panted loudly.

"I suppose it's a bit too late for an introduction," she whispered admiring his profile…she slowly reached for his black silky hair, then she traced his forehead, the manly, prominent, eyebrows ridge and then the convex nose…curved out and hawk shaped.

"I come from beyond the seas, a place far away from Thedas…I would have done anything to leave my homeland and the people there, yet after centuries, the thing I regret the most is the men...They are the most intoxicating poison, ever…and you my dear, in almost everything, reminds me of our men… I bet the coldness and the properness are merely acquired and so different from your true nature" She paused and chuckled "Besides…How a broke warden could afford to refuse free intercourses offered by all those Orlesian noble women?"

She hastily wiped away her smile and rose to her feet. A painful growl left Loghain's throat and forced her to look at him…after some hesitation, the woman sat on the bed and raised the man's shoulders so now his head and his upper back were resting on her lap.

"I know that you are in pain, a greater pain than any normal human would feel due to the transformation, as you are a warden and your transformation into a Darkspawn had already begun…but, know this, Loghain Mac Tir, I have no cruel bone in my entire body, I do not enjoy your pain…To be completely honest with you, I couldn't be more sentimental and nostalgic as in this moment." She tightened her embrace and put her lips on his forehead.

It was the last sentence he heard before a vicious jolt of pain made him lose consciousness.

When his eyes opened, he was still in the same room, naked on the same bed…It was completely dark, yet he could see…he was able to see it clearly, on different shades of grey…and then he spotted her in one corner of the room, wearing a black dress, and leaped out of the bed, moving at a choking speed. Just in the matter of seconds, he had his hand around the woman's neck ready to strangle her;

"What have you done to me?" he uttered between clenched teeth.

The woman smiled and didn't answer, she simply jumped higher, clinging to the wall as if gravity ceased to exist…at his greater surprise, he was able to follow as he jumped and imprisoned her body between the wall and his own body.

"Don't waste your energy, you haven't fed yet," she panted.

"You…."

He didn't have the time to finish his sentence as the black-haired woman vanished from his tight embrace only to reappear sitting on a chair and sipping wine,

"Get down here and let us talk, or would you prefer me to leave you to figure out this whole thing alone?" she calmly said, and he was forced to obey.

"You see, Loghain, I gave you the gift of immortality…but as usual, it comes with a price….and from what I have heard about you, I am certain that it won't be a burden for you,"

"What exactly won't be a burden, creature?" he hissed.

"Killing, spilling the blood to live," she said with a wide smile, exposing her two sharp fangs.

Last night, at Halamshiral, was full of strange events and he had indulged himself into drinking beyond reason, he drank for the satisfaction of it, until he reached a state of euphoria he had only known years ago when he first was turned…when Leila was still by his side…She had told him that her name meant the longest and darkest night of the year, but it was also a word used to describe the dark red wine…he ignored if it was her given name or a name she had chosen for herself afterword but he was sure that last night, on the cool wind he had caught her scent.


End file.
